News

Bryan Singer accuser filed suit in 2000 over same party

Compiled by Tony Hicks

Contra Costa Times

Posted:
04/18/2014 10:15:30 AM PDT

Updated:
04/18/2014 10:18:12 AM PDT

The 31-year-old man suing "X-Men" director Bryan Singer for allegedly sexually molesting him at a party when he was a teen says he didn't remember the incident until recently -- but filed another suit over the same party in 2000, according to TMZ.

The website reports that the earlier lawsuit was aimed at three men who allegedly abused plaintiff Michael Egan, who apparently had a clear memory at that time of what allegedly happened.

In the new suit, filed Wednesday, Egan alleges Singer forced him to perform sex at a Hollywood party when he was a teen. News reports have varied on what age Egan claims to have been at the party. Some reports say he claims he was 15, others, 17.

Plaintiff Michael Egan, left, with his attorney, Jeff Herman take questions from to the media during a news conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., Thursday, April 17, 2014. A sex abuse lawsuit by Egan accuses "X-Men" franchise director Bryan Singer of sexually abusing him as a teenager. Singer's attorney, Marty Singer, said in a statement that the claims are absurd and defamatory. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

TMZ reports it saw the first suit, directed at three men, including Marc Collins-Rector, who owned the house where the party took place. Singer wasn't named as a defendant in that suit, and was not referenced in the allegations in any way, according to the website.

Egan ended up winning a default judgment the first time for more than $2 million, but the defendants had left the country, so he didn't actually get any money.

Egan held a news conferences Thursday, at which he said he blocked the incident long ago and numbed himself with alcohol, but became sober recently and started therapy, which unleashed a flood of bad memories involving Singer.

Advertisement

"I was raped numerous times in that house, by numerous individuals," Egan said at Thursday's news conference. "You were like a piece of meat to these people."

Sources connected to Singer reportedly told TMZ they believe it's ridiculous Egan could remember the pool party in question in such vivid detail during the first suit, yet repress memories of Singer.